Volatile Metabolites from Salvia fruticosa as Antifungal Agents in Soilborne Pathogens

Abstract

The volatile metabolites of Salvia fruticosa plants, growing wild in 15 localities scattered across Greece, were analyzed by means of GC and GC-MS. The essential oil content ranged from 0.69 to 4.68%, and the results of the analyses showed a noticeable variation in the amounts of the five main components [1,8-cineole, α-thujone, β-thujone, camphor, and (E)-caryophyllene]. The antifungal activities of the essential oils from two localities, belonging in two different groups of cluster and principal component analysis, and their main components (1,8-cineole and camphor) were evaluated in vitro against five phytopathogenic fungi. Both oils were slightly effective against Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. dianthi and Fusarium proliferatum, whereas against Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Fusariumsolani f. sp. cucurbitae the oils exhibited high antifungal activities. Keywords: Salvia fruticosa; essential oil composition; GC-MS; 1,8-cineole; camphor; α-thujone; β-thujone; antifungal activity; soilborne pathogens